A talk by Professor Tom Williamson from the University of East Anglia
at Haughley Park Barn, Haughley, IP14 3JY. 2pm – 5pm
£20 per person to include afternoon tea
Professor Tom Williamson is a leading landscape historian and landscape archaeologist with wide-ranging interests including investigations of the history of tree populations and disease in England. He currently leads a HLF-funded project studying the history and ecology of orchards in eastern England and works on a study of the important Anglo-Saxon site at Rendlesham. He teaches courses on landscape history at undergraduate and masters level and we look forward to welcoming him for a return visit to both inform and entertain us.
The talk will be preceded by an elm tree planting ceremony. As part of SPS’s 90th anniversary celebrations we wanted to give something tangible back to the Suffolk landscape. The elm tree has been a huge loss to the Suffolk countryside so we will be planting three disease resistant elms at Haughley Park. Historic maps of the park have been used to identify locations of lost trees to ensure that the newly planted trees will as far as possible reinstate lost landscape features.
The location at Haughley Park is significant to the Suffolk Preservation Society being the home of the late Alfred Williams, a former Trustee. Alfred Williams financially supported the Society’s first Director for many years. We will be ever grateful to him for his foresight and generosity. His son Robert, and his family continue to support the SPS in many ways.
Open to all, we look forward to seeing you there.